Eugene City Council officially opposes Measure 105

Christian Hill @RGchill

Wednesday

Oct 31, 2018 at 5:00 AM

The Eugene City Council has unanimously passed a resolution opposing Measure 105.

The measure on the Nov. 6 ballot would repeal the state's 31-year-old sanctuary law, which forbids law enforcement from inquiring about a person's immigration status or apprehending them unless the person is suspected of a criminal offense.

The resolution emphasizes concern about the loss of trust between police officers and members of the minority community if the measure passed, potentially resulting in an increase in unreported crime. It also noted the measure would result a loss of local control in how the city uses its law enforcement resources.

The full resolution is here:

The city joins several other Oregon cities that have opposed Measure 105.

"Measure 105 violates Eugene values and Oregon values of fairness, looking out for our neighbors and treating others as one would hope to be treated," Mayor Lucy Vinis said in a statement.

The City Council's resolution is not a surprise. Last year, the elected leaders approved an ordinance that prohibits all city employees from using public resources to enforce federal immigration laws but that doesn’t designate Eugene as a sanctuary city. That language would remain even if Oregon voters repeal the state's sanctuary law.

Asked to respond to the city's action, the spokesman for the group sponsoring the measure, Oregonians for Immigration Reform, cited a statement from the Western State Sheriffs’ Association, which has endorsed the measure. The association said that there's no documented evidence that any illegal alien has ever been deported solely as a result of reporting a crime or volunteering information to police.

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